The Hitchiker
by dorisann
Summary: the dangers of picking up hitchkers


**The Hitchiker**

By

Dorisann Anderson.

"Hey partner, why the sad look?" Turning his head towards Ponch, Jon spoke softly

"I really wanted to go to the Holloween party Sunday night." Jon shook his head. "I don't understand why Sarge gave us the night shift." He turned his attention once again to the highway to watch for speeders. "I had plans to bring Sue with me then after the party go back to my place. What made Sarge give us night duty Ponch?"

"It wasn't anything I did Jon, in fact I haven't made the Sarge mad at me in a long time."

Ponch smiled looking back at the traffic that seemed to be running smoothly. "Hey Jon, don't worry about it. I'll think of something." Ponch said, not quite sure if he should tell Jon his idea on how to get the night off.

"Lets go on in Ponch. We can't miss the evening briefing. Joe said to be sure to be there."

Joe stood in front of the officers, clearing his throat as Jon and Ponch slowly entered the room.

"Listen up. LAPD has informed us to be watching for any and all hitchhikers. They are looking for a young man. His name is Jimmy Andrews. He is 23, 5'11'', reddish brown hair, and weighs around 170 pounds. He is wanted for questioning in a murder case. So far all we know is three weeks ago a Mr. Jayson Smith picked up a hitchhiker believing the young man's sad story Mr. Smith took him home offered him a place to live in exchange for some work done around the house.

Last Monday the neighbors of Mr. Smith became worried when they hadn't seen him or his family in several days and called LAPD.

When the officers got inside the home they found the entire family killed." Walking over to Grossie Joe handed him some papers. " Grossman, hand these pictures out. What Grossie is handing out is a drawing of what the neighbors could remember of the young man. Look the picture over and remember his face. We want this man. And remember, he is to be concentered armed and dangerous. Okay that's all."

Walking into his office Joe picked up the picture of kids and wife. Joe wanted to scream but instead Joe whispered to himself. "Why would a man put his family in so much danger?" Looking up and seeing Grossie walked by the office, Joe went out to the hall. "Grossman. I want to talk to you".

"Yes Sarge? Grossie asked, feeling a little nervous. It wasn't often Grossie was called into the office.

Still holding on picture of his family, Joe looked out the window for a few minutes, not saying anything, lost in his own thoughts. "I want you to write an article for the Highway Patrolman on the dangers of picking up and taking home a hitchhiker."

"Sure Sarge. I'll get on it right away." Grossie watched as Joe slowly put the picture back on his desk. "We'll catch him Sarge." Grossie said as he walked out of the office.

Looking at the photo he held in his hands Jon shook his head. "Suddenly the Halloween party doesn't seem so important. We have to find this guy Ponch."

"Oh we will Partner we will." Folding the picture and putting it in his pocket Ponch watching the road as he whispered to himself "We have to before he kills again."

Riding down the 420 on his way home Mr. William Kilday played the radio on the new red cobra he had just bought for his daughter's graduation gift. With pride in his eyes he thought of the first day he saw his little girl. Suddenly tears filled his eyes as he realized his little girl was growing up and would soon be starting a new life of her own.

In front of him he could see the young man hitchhiking. His mind went back to the days he worked nights and went to collage in the daytime. On the weekends he worked overtime to pay for his books and school supplies. He could still remember the many times he went to bed hungry and the many times he didn't have gas money and had to hitchhike. William whispered, "Those were hard times." Now the owner of many convenient stores, William pulled over waiting for the young man to walk up to the car.

Walking up to the car Jimmy smiled thinking to himself. "A new car. This maybe my lucky day." Holding the brief case tightly in his hand he calmly walked to the car.

"Hi. My name is Jimmy. Could you give me a ride to the Old Country Road exit?'

William smiled. "Sure son, get in. It's not that far out of my way."

As he approached the exit Jimmy slowly took the gun form the brief case. Pointing the guy to Williams side Jimmy cleared his throat. "Now take the dirt road on the left."

"What's going on here?" William demanded to know. "Look if it's money you want I have the store's bank roll in the trunk. Take it and leave me alone."

Jimmy smiles, his eyes full of evil. "Oh I plan on taking it".

After making sure he was far enough away from the main road Jimmy ordered William to stop the car and get out.

Walking through the field William turned towards Jimmy. "Please take the money just don't…" Before he could say his another word, William could feel the hot burning metal tearing through his body. He felt the warm life giving blood run down his chest. Soon the pain brought him to his knees. There in the tall weeds he layed dizzy and bleeding.

Jimmy laughed as he walked away not thinking twice of what he had just done.

"Seven Mary three and four check out the report of an abandoned new vehicle just off the Old Country Road exit one mile down Zimmerman road."

Sitting on the over pass Ponch looked over at Jon seeing the surprise look on Jon's face Ponch laughed. "Yeah Partner they said an abandoned new vehicle." Jon and Ponch wasted no time getting on the highway heading for the Old Country Road exit.

Hearing the motorcycles pull up William knew this might be the only chance for help. The loss of blood and extreme pain made standing difficult. Standing for a few minutes was the best William could do.

"Jon there's someone hurt in the field." Ponch ran to where he had seen the man fall. Kneeling down beside the man Ponch spoke softy. "Listen just lay still, we'll have help out here soon okay." Standing up Ponch began to yell. "We need an ambulance here" Ponch made sure Jon had heard him before setting down beside the man once again. "Can you tell me what happened?"

William spoke gasping for breath with each word. " Hitchhiker… young man…brown hair…brief case…gun…shot me…stole store money…two thousand." William passed out.

Knowing William's life was in danger, Ponch was relieved to hear the paramedics pull up. Hoping William could hear him Ponch talked to William. "Listen, help is here now you just hang in there." Ponch watched as the paramedics took William to the ambulance.

"We have find this jerk soon before he can kills or try's to kill again." Ponch thought to himself as he walked back to his motor.

Jon and Ponch rode in silent on their way back to Central, each lost in his own thoughts, each thinking the same thing.

At Central Jon set filling out the paper work while Ponch used the phone. Walking into the filling room with a big smile on his face Ponch sat beside Jon.

"Hey Jon, I just called the hospital. They said Mr. Kilday will be okay. Remind me to stop by the costume store before two I have to pick up something there."

Jon gave Ponch one of his what are you getting me into now looks. "Relax partner I told you I'm working on a way to get Sunday night off and to be able to go to the party with out any one knowing we were there." Seeing the anxious look on Jon's face Ponch began telling him the plan for getting the night off.

"It will work Jon, just back me up on this okay partner."

Jon smiled. "It's just crazy enough to work Ponch. Your plots are getting so much better that it's getting scary."

Laughing as he walked out the door Ponch turned around looking at his long time partner and best friend. "Hey partner if this don't work for any reason I'll do all the paper work for a month. That's how sure I am that we can pull this off. I'm going to talk with Joe, then lets get back out on the streets I want to get this guy."

"Paper work for a month, oh you're on partner." Jon smiled thinking to himself "We will probably be off work that long if it don't work out."

Sitting on the over pass Ponch and Jon watched carefully for anything that seemed out of place. Having the feeling that the killer was close by both guys watched for someone who doesn't fit in with the people in the car with them.

Ponch started his motor looking over to Jon "I can't just sit and watch anymore, lets ride and maybe if we are lucky we will catch him hitchhiking."

Having been so good at the barber the young mother of three small boys stopped at the ice cream parlor to get the boys a chocolate ice cream cone.

Back on the road again Anthony sat peacefully in the middle knowing at the young age of four that the seat by the window would never be his again. Brian sat to the left of his older brother eating his ice cream quickly. While to the right sat Brian's twin Shawn eating his ice cream slowly, enjoying it for as long as he could.

Smiling as her sons enjoying their sweet treats, the young mother noticed the young man walking beside the highway. Looking back at her boys she spoke softly. "I hope someone will help you if you ever are in need of help." With that thought in mind she pulled over letting the young man catch up to her.

"Hi." Jimmy spoke with a sad sounding voice as he got into the car, looking in the back seat he smiled. "Thanks so much for the ride it was getting so hot out here. I was hoping I could find work. I had to sell my car to pay for the next semester. Books cost so much here." Looking down at his brief case with a sad look in his eyes Jimmy's voice creaked as he spoke. "I guess I should just quit but it was my Dad's dying wish that I would continue my schooling and be the first in my family to go to collage."

"Well maybe you could talk to my husband. We are building on to the house and he may need some help."

Suddenly from the back seat Shawn yelled. "Mom, make him stop."

Looking in the back seat, "Anthony stop trying to take your brother's ice cream."

"But mom I just wanted a little bit."

Anthony knew his mother's voice well enough to know she was at the point of what till I tell your father young man.

Letting loose of Shawn's arm Anthony said, "Yes mom I'll be good." in hopes of his dad never finding out.

Jimmy laughed. "Boys will be boys.'

Jon watched from his motor as the hitchhiker got into the car. "That's him Ponch. That's are killer."

Ponch watched as the car went back onto the highway. "We can't rush them. That guy has killed once all ready and he's not going to care if he kills again."

Jon picked up the Mi "Seven Mary three and four request back up for possibly murder suspect, location 420 north bond near exit 54."

Bear pulled up behind Jon and Ponch. "Hey Jon, how we going to stop the lady and get the killer away from them?"

"Well there is a cracked tail light. We could pull her over for that. Ponch you get the lady and kids out of the car, Bear you sneak up to be my back up then after they are safely out of the way we'll get the hitchhiker out."

With the lights on Jon and Ponch pulled in behind the car.

Slowly the young mother pulled over to the side. "Oh dear what now? I know I wasn't speeding."

Ponch walked up to the driver trying not to frighten the mother and her small boys.

"Ma'am you have a tail tight out. If you would walk back here I'll show you." Looking in the back seat Ponch smiled. "Hi boys, I bet you three would like to sit on the motorcycle."

"Yeah" yell the brothers at the same time. "Can we mom please?" Anthony asked.

Jon walked up to the passenger side of the car. "Are you going to collage?"

"Yes officer. Is that a crime? I'm not with this family I was just getting a ride."

Trying to distract Jimmy while Ponch got the family out of harms way Jon kept asking questions.

Standing by the motor Ponch picked up each boy till all three were sitting happily on his motor.

"Officer what was the young man in trouble for?"

"We are bringing him in for questioning about a murder."

"And I was taking him home to talk to my husband about doing some work for us.

What could I have done to my family?" Fear showed in the eyes of the young mother as she realizes what could have been.

"It is all ways dangerous to pick up a hitchhiker".

Soon Bear stood beside Jon with his hand on his gun, Jimmy noticed the tall officer and the fact that this cop was ready to pull his gun didn't escape his attention. All thoughts of shooting the blonde cop and making a getaway soon left when Jimmy realized he was caught for good.

After see the family was safe with Ponch, Jon ordered the man out of the vehicle.

Ponch carried Brian to the car makes him laugh at the faces he made.

Brian climbed onto his knees waving bye to the nice officers.

"I like him. He's nice." Brian said as Ponch waved back to him.

As Bear's patrol car went by Shawn looked at Jimmy. "He's a jerk"

"Shawn we talked about that." The young mother smiled to herself because her feelings much the same as her young boys.

Jon walked over to Ponch. "We did it Partner, we got that killer off the streets."

Sunday night.

At the party Jon stood laughing. "These masks are a great ideal Ponch. Sarge will never know we were here. Telling Joe we needed the afternoon off to go over the paper work for court tomorrow was a work of art."

Jon watched as another werewolf walked up to him. The werewolf gave Jon the thumbs up as Jon and Ponch often did.

Jon looked back and forth between the two werewolves.

Having an uneasy feeling about it, Jon asked. "So which wolf is Ponch?"

"I'm here, Jon. So who's the other wolf?"

Suddenly the other wolf took his mask off.

"Oh NO!!" Jon and Ponch both yelled.

I would like to thank Brian and Shawn Chrisagis for letting me use them and their family in this story. Thanks guys. Dorisann.


End file.
